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Second Annual School of the Arts Graduation Recognition Ceremony

Hundreds of students, family and faculty gathered in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre Friday night, May 20th, for the second annual School of the Arts Graduation Recognition Ceremony, designed to recognize its graduating students. The weather was pleasant, spirits were high and smiles and well-wishes abounded. Welcoming remarks were given by Dean Elizabeth Kowalchuk and congratulations offered by Dean Danny Anderson of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. A new highlight to this year’s ceremony was a video of graduating students and what the School of the Art had meant to them. You may find a link to the video here. Inspiring speeches by an outstanding student from each of the four departments were also given. The full text of the students' speeches may also be found here.

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Graduation Speeches

Jeremiah Hansen, Visual Art

Good evening and congratulations Graduating Class of 2011. What an honor it is to have the opportunity to speak to you all. A few years ago I never would have seen myself being given the opportunity to have an experience like this; to not only be graduating but also to have a moment to reflect and speak to fellow graduates about my experiences here at the University of Kansas. Read the whole speech

Baerbel Goebel, Film & Media Studies

I would like to thank the faculty and my fellow graduate students for allowing me to speak this evening. I have recently defended my doctoral dissertation in the Department of Film and Media Studies and am excited to enter the professional world of academia, but it is a bittersweet experience as I leave behind what has become a part of me. But the arts will stay with each and every one of us.Read the whole speech

Mary Sheldon, Dance

Good evening. As Baerbel mentioned, my name is Mary Sheldon and I am graduating with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and a minor in dance. In my first experience at the University of Kansas, the department of dance scholarship audition, I voiced a question about whether I could balance dance with my commitment to studying chemistry. I was told, "Not only does dance support intellectual endeavors, it enhances them. Dance is a part of you, and taking time to strengthen this aspect of yourself can only make you more whole and welldeveloped." Read the whole speech

Jackie Koester, Theatre

Hello all and welcome once again to the silly hat convention, I mean, the School of the Arts Commencement. One of my favorite quotes comes from the female writer, Elsa Maxwell. She advises "Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can." A motto I try to live by daily and one most students in the school of the arts have come to embrace after much soul searching and job outlook reviews. But I digress. Like Mary say, my name is Jackie Koester, a senior graduating with a soon to be, fingers crossed, double major in Theatre and Spanish. Read the whole speech

2010 Public Art Year in Review Announced

Baltimore, MD — June 24, 2010 — In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Public Art Network, Americans for the Arts today announces the 2010 Public Art Year in Review. The Year in Review recognizes 40 of the year's best public art works in the United States and Canada, consisting of projects from 29 cities in 15 states. The works were chosen from more than 300 entries from across the country.

Two independent public art experts—artists Helen Lessick and Fred Wilson—curated the 2010 Year in Review, which reflects the most exemplary, innovative permanent or temporary public art works created or debuted in 2009. Their selections were announced at the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit Public Art Pre-Conference held in Baltimore. This is the 10th year that Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, has recognized public art works. The artists and commissioning organizations involved in creating and supporting these public art works will receive letters of recognition and congratulations from Americans for the Arts.

"In cities and towns across the country, public art makes an indelible impact and enhances our lives," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "We congratulate the artists and commissioning groups of the 10th annual Public Art Year in Review and look forward for honoring more great works in the decades to come."

Click here to view the Year in Review list as a PDF.

2010 Public Art Year in Review

Christy Ten Eyck & Judeen Terrey
Habitat
Phoenix, AZ
City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

Janet Echelman
Her Secret is Patience
Phoenix, AZ
City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

Norie Sato & Bill Will
Spirit of Inquiry
Phoenix, AZ
Valley Metro Rail

Susan Narduli
Weaving
Fresno, CA
California State University, Fresno

Sara Daleiden
Domestic Hollywood
Hollywood, CA
The artist with Woodbury University's Professional Development Awards and the University of Southern California's Master of Public Art Studies Program

Peter Shelton
sixbeastsandtwomonkeys
Los Angeles, CA
City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program

Cliff Garten Studio
Sentient Beings
North Hollywood, CA
J.H. Snyder Company with The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles

Maya Lin
What is Missing?
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Arts Commission's Public Art Program

Mickey Smith
Collocation (NATURE)
Gainesville, FL
University of Florida Art in State Buildings Program

Peter Shelton
thinmanlittlebird
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation

Matthew Dominic Farley
FROZEN ASSETS
Lawrence, KS
The artist

Ellen Driscoll
Filament Firmament
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge Arts Council

Sarah Doherty with participating artists
Axis Alley
Baltimore, MD
Axis Alley

Laura Haddad & Tom Drugan
Elemental Landscape
Chapel Hill, NC
Town of Chapel Hill Public Arts Office

Tony Oursler
Splatter Project #1
Astoria, NY
Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art, Department of Education and School Construction Authority Public Art for Public Schools Programs of the City of New York

Ellen Harvey
The Home of the Stars
Bronx, NY
MTA Arts for Transit

Sean Capone
Camera Rosetum
Brooklyn, NY
DUMBO Arts Center and the DUMBO Improvement District.

The League of Imaginary Scientists, E.K.K.O choreography collective, David Garin, Annie Kwon, Matt McBane
Waterways
Brooklyn, NY
iLAND, Inc. with the Danish Arts Council

Carter Hodgkin
Electromagnetic Fall
Flushing, NY
Queens College, Dormitory Authority of NY

Alan Michelson
Third Bank of the River
Massena, NY
Art in Architecture Program, US General Services Administration

Mark A. Reigelman II
Wood Pile
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland Public Art

riza A + D
Big Pipe Portal: Making the Invisible Visible
Portland, OR
Regional Arts & Culture Council

Carolyn Law
Sky to Earth
Portland, OR
TriMet

Stacy Levy
Ridge and Valley
Penn State University, PA
Office of Physical Plant, Penn State University

Steve Powers
Love Letter
Philadelphia, PA
City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

Dan Corson
Emerald Aura
Memphis, TN
UrbanArt Commission

Buster Graybill
Bait Box
Austin, TX
City of Austin, Art in Public Places Program

Bill Davenport
Giant Mushroom Forest
Austin, TX
City of Austin, Art in Public Places Program

Brad Goldberg & Diana Goldberg
Fair Park Station
Dallas, TX
Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Brad Oldham & Brandon Oldenburg
"The Traveling Man" Series
Dallas, TX
Dallas Area Rapid Transit

Jim Hirschfield & Sonya Ishii
Beads
Houston, TX
Houston Arts Alliance

Sean Healy
Gesture Politics
Houston, TX
US General Services Administration Art in Architecture Program

Matthew Geller
Open Channel Flow
Houston, TX
Houston Arts Alliance

Gary Bates
Rain Scale
Auburn, WA
Washington State Arts Commission, Art in Public Places Program

Beliz Brother
Bloom
Everett, WA
Washington State Arts Commission, Art in Public Places Program

Peter Reiquam
Landing Zone
Everett, WA
Snohomish County Arts Commission

Janet Zweig
The Opposite of a Duck
Fall City, WA
King County Library System

Dan Corson
Oscillating Field
Seattle, WA
Sound Transit

Connie Watts
Vereinigung
Seattle, WA
4Culture

Fiona Bowie
Flow
Vancouver, BC
City of Vancouver Cultural Services Public Art Program

Photos and descriptions of these works will be included on the Americans for the Arts 2010 Public Art Year in Review CD-ROM, which is available for purchase at the Americans for the Arts Store at www.AmericansForTheArts.org, and is used as a planning tool for communities developing public art programs and projects. The CD-ROM is considered an invaluable visual resource by public art administrators, artists and designers, educators, libraries, universities, art commissions, and consultants.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Visit us online at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.